Extra-Sensory Perception

Chapter Five:


46th Street
New York City
5:03 p.m.

	"What is the condition of the girl?" asked a grey-haired man, standing 
next to the mantle. He was heavy-set  with droopy eyelids, and a low, 
god-father-like voice.
	"She's in critical condition at the base," said another man. He sat, 
nonchalantly, in a wing-backed brown leather armchair. He raised a 
cigarette up to his wrinkled lips, took a long drag, then exhaled 
slowly."We've pumped the pathogen into her system, but it is not working 
as we had hoped. We must wait another 48 hours. If it works, her memory 
will be erased."
	"And if it doesn't?" he First Elder asked.
	"We'll have to burn the body, and all of the other evidence." He took 
another long, slow drag, then let it out. "Then we must destroy all of 
the infected cetaceans, along with the formerly used virus."
	"How will this be done?" another man asked. "They are scattered all 
around the area, and some even further out."
	"Then we would have to kill every creature within a 5 mile radius of 
the island, as far as the restraining unit harnesses," the 
Cigarette-Smoking Man said. 
	"And how do you intend to accomplish this task?" asked a man in a navy 
blue suit, and red hankercheif. He stood up, and took his coffee over to 
the mantel. "You think you can simply enflame the ocean?"
	The First Elder shook his head. "We have other methods," he stated 
dryly. 
	"And they are?" the man in the navy-blue sait asked, accentuating every 
word with a British accent.
	"We release an oil spill," the Cigarette-Smoking Man said. "Every sea 
creature will be killed. It will be an accidental oil leakage from the 
U.S.S. Coultier."
	"You think that you can just destroy everything within 5 miles,  to 
kill the one dozen infected Dolphins?" the man exclaimed, his British 
accent laced with contempt. "My God! If you kill all of those creatures, 
and anyone catches anything in the least conspicuous, we'll have every 
animal rights activist in the country rioting!!" He paused. "Mulder will 
find out, and then the entire populous will know of our findings."
	"Mulder already knows enough, and with you to thank," said the 
Cigarette-Smoking Man. "You are highly indebted to us for saving your 
life. I suggest that you remember that, and in the meanwhile respect our 
ideals. If you don't agree to cooperate with our agreement, I'm sure 
other arrangements will be made."
	 "Other arrangements?" The Well-Manicured Man narrowed his eyes, and 
scowled at the Cigarette-Smoking Man. "Would I, too, be disposed of for 
the 'good of mankind'? All of our work...it all went to hell because you 
couldn't get to Mulder in time to dispose of him, and the vaccine. Don't 
talk to me about idealism and arrangements, you impudent assassin. You, 
too, are disposable, as are all of us." He looked around at the Group. 
"We will proceed as planned. Precaution and discretion are of the utmost 
importance. Destruction would cause attention to be turned towards us, 
and most only be used as a last resort."
	The First Elder nodded. "What do we do about the Carter girl?"
	The Cigarette-Smoking man stood, and butted out his cigarette in the 
ashtray. "She will be taken care of."
	"And Mulder?" 
	The room was silent. Finally, the Cigarette-Smoking Man spoke. "He, 
too, will be taken care of," he said with quiet conviction. Then he 
turned, and walked out of the room.